When a new D-dimer method is to be implemented either as a substitute for a currently used D-dimer assay or as a supplement, maybe as a point-of-care assay, it is necessary to do a clinical comparison of the "old" assay versus the "new" assay. The major pitfalls in D-dimer comparisons are addressed in this paper.   ...

Sepsis and septic shock lead to local and systemic activation of different response systems, including coagulation and fibrinolysis.  Despite numerous attempts the high mortality rate of these patients has remained stable over the last 20 years. In this overview the pathophysiological insights and possible...

Recent studies of D-dimer as a “rule-out” test for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) frequently have used duplex ultrasound rather than venography as the gold standard. Because duplex ultrasound has limited ability to image the calf veins, there is potential for ultrasound studies to classify patients with calf DVT as...

Hemorrhage, due to a reduction in the coaguability of blood, is a common cause of morbidity and mortality among trauma victims and the critically ill in general. Reduced blood pH (acidosis) is also common in these patient groups. Previous studies have shown that acidosis is an independent risk factor for development...

Massive hemorrhage is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among critically ill patients. Conventional treatment is based on surgical control of bleeding and transfusion of blood products including red cells, platelets and fresh frozen plasma. Despite optimal conventional care, bleeding sometimes proves impossible ...